After selecting Texas Longhorns big man Myles Turner with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Larry Bird decided to take a guard with the No. 43 pick in the draft. Oregon Ducks guard Joseph Young was still available when the Indiana Pacers came up to draft, and they promptly decided to select the prolific scorer and give him a chance to prove himself at the next level.
#Pacers select PG Joseph Young with the 43rd pick, choosing a guard after drafting big with Myles Turner
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) June 26, 2015
Needless to say, this is a player that the Pacers and their fans should begin getting excited about. There are concerns about a foot injury that he suffered in workouts, but Indiana obviously felt good enough about him to take the chance. If Young is able to pan out and reach his full potential, the Pacers will be getting a legitimate scorer who is capable of scoring from inside or outside.
Bob Kravitz of WTHR.com in Indianapolis believes that Young will immediately take over the backup point guard duties that will be left by C.J. Watson, who will not be returning in free agency.
If the Pacers second round pick, guard Joseph Young of Oregon, pans out, he presumably replaces CJ Watson. Pacers needed a G.
— Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) June 26, 2015
The excitement surrounding this selection brings back memories from another former Indiana second-round pick. Lance Stephenson was drafted in the second round back in 2010, and Young has a very similar hype surrounding him. Obviously there is a chance that he won’t end up making the roster, but his skillset certainly fits a need that the Pacers have on the offensive end of the court.
Young played in a fast tempo offense during his Oregon career, and ended up averaging 20.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game during his 2014-15 season. He will fit perfectly into the faster offense that the Pacers are trying to run, and is a much more lethal scorer than Watson was. During the 2014-15 season with Oregon, Young ended up shooting 51.6 percent from the field overall and 35.7 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
It isn’t likely that the Pacers are getting a star with their second-round pick, but all they needed was a solid role player that could help as a backup point guard. That is something that he can do, and he will bring energy and excitement to the court every time that Frank Vogel inserts him into the game.
Needless to say, this is a steal for the Pacers and ends their night on a very good note. Young will likely end up making the team, but it isn’t guaranteed to him by any stretch of the imagination. Hard work has always been Young’s motto, and that will not change now that he is set to begin his career with Indiana.
Evan Massey is a featured writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Massey_Evan and like him on Facebook.